September 29, 2011 -
The City of Knoxville announced today that the University of Tennessee has agreed with the continued development of the proposed pedestrian/bicycle bridge that would connect Knoxville's South Waterfront with the UT campus.

UT's decision came after staff members, who worked with the City of Knoxville's design consultants on the project for several months, determined that the conceptual design has the potential to benefit both the city and the University. That has led to the university's endorsement of the city's efforts to continue to review and refine the design.

The proposed landing for the bridge on the north (university) side of the Tennessee River is located between Thompson Boling Arena and Pratt Pavilion, and is intended to connect to an upper level exterior walkway - enabling students to walk or bike from the bridge into campus.

The City of Knoxville plans to unveil the preliminary design for the bridge and its landings during an open house on October 10, followed by a presentation at a City Council workshop on October 13. If the consensus is to move forward, the formal environmental review and permitting process could begin.

"I know the city still has a long way to go before the final decision is completed and any funding or construction decisions are made," said UT Chancellor Jimmy Cheek. "However, we feel comfortable that the project works from the university's standpoint."

The proposed bridge is part of the city's South Waterfront Vision Plan, a guide for long-term development of the south bank of the Tennessee River, a large segment of which is directly across from the UT campus.

"We're grateful to the University of Tennessee for its support of this project," said Knoxville Mayor Daniel Brown. "We value our relationship with UT and we're always pleased to work with the university on efforts like this one that could have some wonderful benefits for the city and the school."